The History of Brunswick Stew: Virginia is the Winner!

The History of Brunswick Stew: Virginia is the Winner!

Two Southern states, Virginia and Georgia, have long been dueling over which is the home of Brunswick stew. Folks in Brunswick County, Va., hold an annual stew-off, while those in Brunswick, Ga., display a cast-iron spot that reportedly cooked up the very first batch of stew in 1898. (Brunswick, N.C., pretty much stays out of the fray).

An early version of the stew – with squirrel or groundhog meat and hominy – was cooked by Native Americans and was likely the inspiration for what would become Brunswick stew.

“They would also boil game meat such as bear and deer with fresh corn and squash,” the article said. “It is considered survival cuisine or hunters stew among earlier settlers in the Southern Appalachians. Fresh game and any local ingredients they have on hand were adapted to use in this stew.”

Today’s Brunswick stew is typically made with chicken, pork or beef rather than game meat but it is still a thick, tomato-based concoction with a variety of vegetables that might include potatoes, tomatoes, butter beans, corn and okra. It is a distinctly Southern dish and is typically served in the fall and winter.

The origins

In an article on GeorgiaEncyclopedia.org, John A. Burrison writes that Vriginia’s stew predates Georgia’s by about 70 years.

“…The honor (so far as the name is concerned) must go to Brunswick County, Virginia,” Burrison wrote. “There, according to an entrenched local tradition supported by a 1988 Virginia General Assembly proclamation, Jimmy Matthews, an African American hunting-camp cook, concocted a squirrel stew for his master, Creed Haskins, in 1828, the stew being named for its home county.”

A historian wrote on AmericanFoodRoots.com that “Virginia’s assertion seems to be the oldest and best documented. The story is that in 1828, while Dr. Creed Hoskins and friends were hunting in Brunswick County, his African-American camp cook, Jimmy Matthews, went hunting for squirrels for stew. As the historical marker in the county reads, ‘Matthews simmered them with butter, onions, stale bread and seasoning, thus creating the dish known as Brunswick stew.'”

A historian wrote on AmericanFoodRoots.com that “Virginia’s assertion seems to be the oldest and best documented. The story is that in 1828, while Dr. Creed Hoskins and friends were hunting in Brunswick County, his African-American camp cook, Jimmy Matthews, went hunting for squirrels for stew. As the historical marker in the county reads, ‘Matthews simmered them with butter, onions, stale bread and seasoning, thus creating the dish known as Brunswick stew.'”

Traditional Brunswick Stew With Pork and Chicken

Brunswick stew is a Southern dish that features a tomato base with beans, vegetables, and meat. Early Brunswick stews were often made with squirrel, rabbit, even opossum, but these days pork, chicken, and beef are common. The original thinking was to use local ingredients and those you have on hand, which remains the same today.

This Brunswick stew is made with cooked pork shoulder or leftover pulled pork, along with shredded or chopped cooked chicken thighs and vegetables. The barbecue sauce and a touch of cayenne pepper add rich flavor to the classic stew. This recipe is a good use of leftover meat and vegetables, as well as taking advantage of what ingredients are in your pantry.

Ingredients: 

6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic, from about 3 or 4 garlic cloves

3 cups diced potatoes

1 1/2 cups baby lima beans

2 cups corn kernels

3 cups chicken stock

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ of Bar Be Que Sauce (I like the smoky flavor one)

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

4 bay leafs

3 to 4 TBS of Liquid Smoke

1 14 1/2 oz. can early peas

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups shredded or chopped, cooked chicken thighs

2 cups shredded, cooked pulled pork, or leftover pulled pork

Cornbread or biscuits, for serving, optional

Coleslaw, for serving, optional

How to make it: 

Gather the ingredients.

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes longer. Add the potatoes, lima beans, corn, chicken stock, and tomatoes.

Bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the tomato sauce or diced tomatoes, Bar Be Que, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, peas, bay leafs, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, cayenne, chicken and pork. Mix well to combine.

Simmer, uncovered, for 2 Hours.

Serve with cornbread or biscuits, along with coleslaw on the side.